


Calming Storms

by sofiaottoman



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-09-18
Updated: 2009-09-18
Packaged: 2018-05-19 05:05:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5954650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sofiaottoman/pseuds/sofiaottoman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes enough really is enough, work isn't everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Calming Storms

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally written for bryoneybrynn's Speed Pronz Writing challenge. This work is an edited re-written version of my response to the challenge. The original is posted on my account on fanfiction.net (under the same name). 
> 
> Unfortunatley this work has not been beta checked - there was just me, and Word's spellcheck so sorry in advance for any mistakes. As always, I do not own the world of Harry Potter. It belongs to the wonderful J. K. Rowling, and I am only playing in her sandbox.

Harry took a deep drag of his fag, releasing the smoke with a sigh staring unseeing out the window. The desk behind him was strewn with paper; dishevelled piles waiting for his attention. Urgent. Every single leaf of paper in the damn piles was urgent, apparently. It was like no one had a home to go to, or a family to be with. With a tired laugh Harry took another drag of his cigarette and turned from the window, his lips curled in a dark smile. Spotting the glass of Firewhisky hiding behind yet another pile of paper work he snatched it up and downed the contents. He dropped the glass back onto the desk; watched it wobble before eventually righting itself as he fell into his chair, and stuffed the cigarette back into his mouth. At random he picked up a sheet of paper and stared at it blankly: the words seemed to blur on the page. Shifting his glasses he rubbed at this eyes tiredly, feeling a headache press against the back of his eyes. He stubbed the cigarette out and dropped the paper back onto the table. Levering himself out the chair he left the room, grabbed his coat and left the flat.

He stumbled out onto the empty muggle street. Looking up and down the line of cars, he turned right down the street heading down the hill and towards the sea front. He paused, turning his back to the wind drifting in from the sea, to light a new cigarette before continuing down the hill; even through the haze of smoke he could taste the salt in the air, and feel the cool wetness of the breeze. The closer he got to the pier, the more the tension of his work seemed to slip away as the wind blew through him. The wind was building to a storm, and not many people were out on the pier for which he was grateful. About half way along the pier he sat down on an empty bench and stared out to sea. The dark waves seemed to echo his mood, crashing against the pier at the sea defences.  Finishing the last drag of his cigarette, Harry stubbed the end out and threw it into a nearby bin. His hands reached into his coat pockets and removed the almost empty pack of cigarettes without conscious thought. He stared down at the box, fiddling with it nervously with his fingers.

Smoking was a filthy habit he had picked up on the playground of his junior school, one he had never managed to completely overcome. Having a cigarette was something he found himself itching to do whenever he was stressed. Not that anyone was particularly happy that he had maintained this vice; so it was something he kept private. Placing another cigarette in his mouth he returned the rest to his pocket, and began the rather fruitless search for his lighter. It was almost like someone had jinxed the thing. On second thought, that was probably exactly what someone had done in a quest to aid him to quit the habit.

Eventually locating it, in a pocket he would swear blind he'd already searched twice, he moved the lighter towards the cigarette and was just about to light it when someone swiped it out of his hand. "What the fuck?!" He looked up into familiar resigned grey eyes.

"You promised to stop." Harry watched as Draco moved around the bench to sit down next to him. "But I should have known, it was just like all your other promises recently. It meant fuck all." Harry sighed and hung his head back; he removed the now useless fag from his mouth and returned it to the pack.

"I'm sorry."

"You're always fucking sorry!"

The words echoed into silence that hung heavily between them, as they fought to hold back the words that could finally end their relationship. Harry looked away and watched the ebb and flow of the waves, as the tide gradually came in. Climbing slowly, further and further up the small bit of sand exposed at low tide. He wondered what there was to say to Draco’s accusation. He was sorry; sorry he kept hurting Draco, kept breaking promises

"The kids miss you. _I_ miss you."

"I'm quitting."

"What?" The words hung between them; a tipping point. Harry shifted his gaze back to his husband. Wearing a dark grey polo neck jumper, his platinum blond hair moving in the wind, and biting his lower lip as he stared back shock evident across his face, Harry thought his husband hadn’t looked quite as beautiful for a while. Reaching out he clasped his hand.

"I'll hand my notice in on Monday Draco. This isn't working. I can do the fieldwork, but the paperwork and the politics…?" Harry shook his head. "I don't want to be this person. I shouldn't have accepted the promotion. I knew it would require more hours, but I didn't think it would require this many."

Draco removed his hand from Harry’s grip and drew back. "But you love your job."

"I love you and the children. The job is just a job." Draco looked at him intently; Harry blushed under the scrutiny of his gaze. He’d wanted to be an Auror since he’d first heard of the job. It has been a way to connect with his father. Now it felt like just another obligation he was expected to fulfil.

"You know I was just referring to those awful cigarettes, right?"

Harry laughed; "Yeah."

"Good." Draco lent in and kissed him. When he drew back he was holding the pack of cigarettes. "You're quitting these as well Potter." Harry pulled a face, inwardly amused at his husband.

"Fine."

Draco stood up and held his free hand out to Harry. "Come on. Let's go home." Harry grasped his hand and allowed himself to be pulled up. He let go of his husband’s hand only to immediately reach out and wrap his arm around his waist, tugging his husband close. Shaking his head, and shooting Harry a look of fond amusement, Draco lent into his side.

Together they made their way from the pier and started the climb up Killigrew Street in silence. "Don't forget, it’s our turn to pick kids up from Kings Cross tomorrow."

"Lily sent an owl; she wants to stay with Ginny first this year, apparently. So it looks like we've just got Al."

"And Scorpius."

"And Pi as well." Harry conceded with a grin, sneaking a sideways glance at his husband.

"I wish you wouldn't call him that ridiculous name Potter!" Draco responded looking far more resigned than his tone had indicated.

Harry laughed and kissed him.


End file.
